Monday, 30 January 2012

We want to see projects with Butterflies or Dragonflies or both together - it's up to you. I would please like to remind you that Fliss who has chosen this month's theme and challenges is very generously donating the monthly winner's prize and the theme is

NATURE

To be considered for our prize and top 3 you must follow the theme and challenge rules correctly.

Please click on the names to visit the blogs and please upload your new projects (no back links please) in the linky below. Please link your blog post only and not your whole blog and please put a link to us in your post.

Please click on the names to visit the blogs and please upload your new projects (no back links please) in the linky below. Please link your blog post only and not your whole blog and please put a link to us in your post.

Please remember to follow the both the weekly challenge and the the monthly theme the challenge relates to - thank you.

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Today's inspirational piece is a short tutorial on brayering a scene. The card I made for the dt line up on Monday (here) was made following a tutorial by Michelle Zindorf found here. I also used this tutorial as the inspiration for today's card.

Place two circles of post it notes opposite each other as shown in the picture. Using a blue ink pad and a brayer apply the ink to the paper. Apply to the top and then to the bottom so that you get a paler section in the middle.

Add a darker ink to the top of the paper.

I then referred to Michelle's tutorial and used the Lovely as a Tree stamps to add bushes and trees.

Here I created the reflection - you can see that I rolled my brayer over my stamp and then transferred the image to the paper under the main trees to make a true mirror image.

The foreground was added using some silhouette stamps (SU Upsy Daisy). These were stamped in a very dark ink and then a paler ink to create depth.

Here is the finished card.

This brayering technique can be used to create both daytime and night time scenes.

Please click on the names to visit the blogs and please upload your new projects (no back links please) in the linky below. Please link your blog post only and not your whole blog and please put a link to us in your post.

Please remember to follow the both the weekly challenge and the the monthly theme the challenge relates to - thank you.

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Suzanne here with this week's mid-week motivation. Bearing in mind that it is Fliss' month of challenges (Nature) and knowing that Fliss enjoys DIY crafting I have decided to show hand-made rosette flowers. There are dies available to help make these but some of us cannot have every single piece of stash and have to make do....that's me!

Please forgive the quality of my photographs...I go to work in the dark and return in the dark so photographs are very poor due to the artificial light.

I coloured a piece of card with distress inks and then spritzed with water.

When dry I punched two edges with an EK Success border punch. You could just tear the paper edges for a ragged rosette if you have no border punches.

I then cut two different widths from each edge which had been punched. Using a score board (or you could just use ruler and embossing tool) - score at even intervals. This is down to your preference.

Concertina/fan - then adhere the edges making a circle. My recommendation is to use a tacky wet glue or glossy accents. Tape or glue stick could be used but this is more messy and there is a risk of your rosette coming undone. I also place my adhesive in the middle of the rosette to make extra secure.

The same is done to the narrower piece of punched card making a smaller rosette for layering.